Exposing El Past Saddleblanket companyPhoto

Copy and fake item by the El Paso Saddleblanket company
Photo credit El Paso Saddleblanket via Internet

I would like to educate the global community on a great deception that is currently still going on in the southwest. Its a great disrespect to Navajo rug weavers and the Navajo Nation.

Here is an image of a blatant copy, (sold for $260) of a fake Navajo rug which is being sold by the above mentioned Texas company. They have been stealing and therefore appropriating Navajo rug designs for many years now.

It is known throughout most of Navajoland that this company has sent and currently sends out people to scout out new Navajo rug designs of Navajo women weavers. They then photograph the rugs and thus steal the designs of Navajo women, they then re-create or misappropriate the cultural designs. In the process of the entire scam they then send the designs to either India or South American for weavers to copy. The company then markets the fake product to a global public to make a profit.

Here is an example of how this company markets their stolen Navajo designs in their foreign-made rugs they sell to the public:

6' X 9' Very Intricate Handwoven Wool Rugs

Attention Wholesalers and Collectors!! Buy now before it's gone!!!

We are pleased to present our selection of handwoven wool rugs. These fine quality rugs are made of 100% wool and imported from India.

Folks, this is a huge room-size rug! At a super low wholesale price! Looking at these rugs you can see why we say rugs are a solid art investment.

The rugs that Navajo woman weave are much more than just aesthetic 'designs'- for each rug contains intricate motifs that have connections to the spiritual. To be copying another persons cultural designs concerns that individuals rights of that tribal artist's Intellectual Property rights.

It is my hope that the Navajo Nation government leaders would take a stand in 2016 to remedy this problem. Please let them know of your concern also.